It’s been a long rough patch for Fairfax’s 951 Main Street. After more than 20 years in business, town hub the Country Pantry Diner closed in 2009. Since then, a number of owners have operated the restaurant for brief stints under that name and others, culminating in a lengthy closure that started last June.
Now the rumor mill can rest. Ron and Linda Frey returned life to the building with the opening of Erica’s American Diner on Monday, September 21. Franklin County residents may already know the pair as owners of purple-hued Linda’s in St. Albans.
Ron Frey said on Monday morning that seeing the space vacant for so long made him and his wife feel a responsibility to feed the Fairfax community. They’re now doing so seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. All the items on Erica’s four-page-long menu are available all day.
Even after dark, diners can try what the menu bills as the “world’s greatest breakfast sandwich.” It features a sweet Mexican-style telera roll stacked with two fried eggs, sausage and cheese, all drizzled in maple syrup.
Lunch and dinner at Erica’s bring a slew of hot sandwiches, including gravy-covered open stacks and creative burgers. For now, the options are identical to those at 2-year-old Linda’s, but Frey said that will change as the couple gets to know its new Fairfax clientele.
Finally Fairfax
The original print version of this article was headlined “Finally Fairfax”
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This article appears in Sep 23-29, 2015.
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As a Fairfax Resident, I’m very pleased to see the restaurant open again.
Best wishes and we’ll see you soon!
So glad to see they opened another wonderful place my husband and I eat regularly at Linda’s in st Albans they are great people and the food is great too!!
Wish Sam could’ve opened it again. I’m sure it will be good but the pantry is a very hard act to follow. The Country Pantry was not just amazing food but amazing service and Sam and his crew treated everyone like family. But good luck and hope it lasts longer then the last few times it opened.
My wife and I finally went to Erica’s for breakfast. I found the breakfast menu to be rather sparse. I do not like that they do not give a receipt at the table. The menu says to tell the server if you wish to have one. I asked for one when she took our order and was told that they do not issue them. I like to see on paper what I am paying for. People are not infallible and I don’t plan to tip for the state tax. I most likely will not go back there. We were both a bit disappointed.
My wife and I ate here tonight. We enjoyed the food, but the owners of this restaurant need to clean it. There is dirt everywhere. If you can look past the dirt, you may enjoy the food.